


Haunted

by Aceofstars16



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Forduary, Kind of a little intense at a few parts but i don't go into details, Nightmares, Other, Stan Pines is a Good Brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-27 01:44:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17757428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aceofstars16/pseuds/Aceofstars16
Summary: Partly inspired bythis post, Ford has a nightmare and his panic and racing heart don't help in calming him down, thankfully he has a brother there to help him.





	Haunted

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr post](http://aceofstars16.tumblr.com/post/182670359703/haunted)
> 
>  
> 
> Just a warning, in the dream Ford feels like he can't breathe for a bit, so if you are sensitive about that read with caution (I don't go into too much detail but it's still there)

Fire rained all around. Screams echoed through the air. The world was literally falling apart, and that wasn’t even the worst of it.

Ford’s lungs burned, he couldn’t breathe, but the faster he ran, the louder the laughing got. That high-pitched sound that surrounded him, was suffocating him. He hadn’t heard it in over a year but it still haunted him.

“You can’t escape me, Sixer.”

Tripping over something that felt disturbingly like a hand, Ford scrambled to his feet. Only to freeze as an eye rose up right in front of him – larger than a mountain. Towering over him, yellow bricks falling into place around it.

“Bill…” Despite the aching of his chest, Ford managed to spit out the name.

“Did you miss me?”

“Hardly.” Ford’s heart was still racing, despite glaring at Bill, fear was pulsing through his entire body.

“How about…NOW!”

Pain coursed through Ford. His entire body felt as if it was being slowly killed. And maybe it was. Electricity burned hot then cold, destroying cells and braincells.

Opening his mouth, Ford tried to breathe, to help steady himself, to spit back at Bill that he’d never give him what he wanted. But when he tried, nothing happened. No air came. His lungs weren’t working.

“You can’t win this one, Fordsy.”

Everything hurt, panic was overtaking Ford as he tried desperately to remove the invisible force blocking his airway. And yet despite all of this, his heart was beating fast, oh so fast.

Laughed surrounded him again. Mocking laughter, reminding him of every little thing he had done wrong. It filled every inch of him, even worse than the pain, driving him to the brink of hysteria.

Bolting upright, Ford gasped for air, which a few moments ago had seemed so unattainable. Reaching up, he quickly felt for anything hindering his body, but there was nothing. Then he scanned his surroundings. There was no fire, no screaming. Everything was slightly blurry, but after a few blinks, Ford realized that was only his normal eyesight without glasses.

Slowly, sounds from the room filtered into his ears, chasing out the maniatic laughing. Waves hitting the outside of the boat, creaking from the other side of the room, his own rapid heartbeat.

Taking a few more deep breaths, Ford placed his hand over his chest. Relax. He needed to relax. He was fine. But despite telling himself that, he could feel his heart still racing, which only set off his anxiety again.

“Ford?”

The tone of the voice sounded worried, as if Stan had already said his name. Which…Ford realized, might’ve been the case.

“I-“ Speaking seemed harder than it should’ve been, which only made his anxiety spike again.

Trying to slow his breathing, Ford closed his eyes, which was a mistake as glimpses of his dream came back.

Something touched his shoulder and he jumped back, his entire body on edge despite his mind knowing he was safe. Or as safe as he could be in his own mind, with the demons it would never be able to forget.

“It’s me, it’s me.” Stan’s voice was calm as he quickly removed his hand and held it out in a placating gesture.

Ford tried to relax, and wanted to say something, but all he could manage was a nod.

“Breathe, just breathe.” As he spoke, Stan took a deep breath, before releasing it. Ford tried to follow, but his breath hitched a few times. The next time around wasn’t much better. He kept trying, but with each breath, he still felt his heart racing. Which was not normal.

Panic threatened to overwhelm Ford again, when a hand gently grabbed his, and slowly fingers entwined with his.

“I’m right here.”

Trying to swallow the panic, Ford squeezed his brother’s hand tight, as if he could transfer the fear through touch. Not that he wanted Stan to fear what he was facing. He just wanted it gone, from him, from Stan, from this boat.

“You’re safe.”

The words were meant to be soothing, and Ford found that familiarity of them comforting, but his still racing heart was contradicting them.

“My…heart…racing…” Ford barely managed to get the words out, squeezing Stan’s hand tighter as he found speaking was even harder than it was with normal panic attacks.

There was silence for a moment, then, “Keep breathing, slow.”

Closing his eyes, Ford tried to do as he was told, but images kept flashing through his mind and his breaths were anything but soothing.

“I-I can’t…” Ford had never felt so weak. Aside from when he faced Bill. But even then, Bill was something he could fight, he could do something to stop. This…this was his own mind, his own body waging war against him. And he didn’t know how to make it stop.

Then an arm pulled him in, and it was only when he felt the steadiness of Stan’s shoulder did he realize he was shaking like crazy.

“I’ve got you. It’s gonna be okay, I promise.”

Lies. That was the first thing Ford’s brain told him. But despite Stan’s reputation, he knew his brother meant what he said. So Ford fought back the doubt and clung to Stan, trying to believe him, trying to follow the instructions to breathe.

Doubt still clung to Ford’s mind, but while his brain still seemed against it, he could feel his body relaxing, if only a little. As if simply being close to someone he trusted was helping remind his body that he wasn’t in danger. Not anymore.

Breathing in deeply, Ford realized his breathe was steady as he released it, and his shoulders relaxed, ever so slightly. His chest still felt tight, and maybe his heartbeat still seemed a little fast, he didn’t feel like he was losing any sense of control any more.

“How you doing?” Stan’s voice was quiet, a hint of worry lining it.

“Better.”

Stan’s arms tightened slightly around Ford. “Good.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yay for Forduary! Unfortunately my muse has been...running on empty (I think Stanuary wore me out oops) so I don't have a picture for this, and I'm not sure how in depth I'll be able to go with all of my submissions BUT I'm still going to try because Ford is my fave and I want to show him some love! xD


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